


What if Mekakucity Actors was Actually Good?

by MajoMagica



Category: Kagerou Project, Mekakucity Actors
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Time Loop, seto is here you just have to look
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 05:36:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7672144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajoMagica/pseuds/MajoMagica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, we’ve all been disappointed with Mekakucity Actors for the last 3 years, and we’ve all wondered what it would be like if it lived up to expectations.  I figured since nobody’s tried to outline a better Mekakucity Actors, I’ll try doing it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What if Mekakucity Actors was Actually Good?

  * Episode 1
  * We open on a cold open, starting with Shintaro and Ayano having a cryptic and seemingly nonsensical conversation that only Ayano understands, which dissolves into an increasingly frantic sequence of images cropped where you can only see a small part of the photograph of graphic images of main characters, Kuroha, and Ayano.  This foreshadows Shintaro's memory power and the time-loops.  It also implies a darker tone for the series as it goes on, making the first episode more congruent with the rest of the TV show.
  * Shintaro wakes up with a start.  Ene fusses over him, asking if he had another nightmare, which turns into friendly verbal poking at each other.  This establishes that despite how they talk to each other, they do genuinely care about each other.  It also establishes our main character, Shintaro.  Shintaro is a fairly average person, but he's kind of geeky and can have a sharp tongue when he's not paying attention to it.  He also has the trademark slowed down effect of people with depression.
  * Shintaro drops a bottle of soda on his keyboard, has to go get a replacement keyboard, the only place open is the brand new mega-mall, you know the drill.
  * He walks to the mall, bumps into Kido, and proceed just fine until the mall is held captive by terrorists (shock!)
  * While held with the other hostages, the blond man sitting behind Shintaro starts talking to him.  Here we meet Kano.  Kano is playful with Shintaro, if not bitingly sarcastic and dissonantly serene for the dire situation.
  * In response to Kano's egging, Shintaro says he has a plan, but he's 99% sure it won't work.  He tells it to Kano anyway.
  * One of the terrorists hears them talking and tries antagonizing Shintaro, who, after getting shaken around a little, tells him to go eat shit.  He drops Shintaro on his ass while further antagonizing him.
  * Suddenly, the lights go out.  You can hear things crashing around and yelling.
  * When the lights flicker back on, some of the guards are unconscious and a lot of shelves are knocked over.  A girl with white hair in a hood stands in front of the civilians in the building.
  * Kano whispers to Shintaro that if he has a plan, he should do it right now and, no matter what he does, don't look her in the eyes.
  * Shintaro runs for the nearest computer set up.  The girl lifts her hood, revealing snake-like red eyes, and says “Sorry,”
  * Cue end of episode 1
  * Episode 2 (Kisaragi Attention)
  * The opening is the last few minutes of episode 1, to refresh everyone's memory since it's been a week.
  * The crowd all freeze silently, spooking Shintaro.  He doesn't dare look back.
  * Shintaro reaches the cable and plugs his phone (with Ene) in.  Ene's logo flashes across an entire wall of display screens as she takes control of the central controls herself, opening all the doors and windows, letting people run for their lives while police rush in.  Shintaro collapses, exhausted and overstimulated.
  * We cut to much later.  Shintaro wakes up to an unfamiliar ceiling (fortunately with his clothes still on.)  Ene's still there and they have a quick tease-fest about weird things Shintaro does while he's asleep.
  * Hearing the racket, Mary checks in on Shintaro, only to drop the tray she was carrying and run for the others.
  * Enter Kido and Kano.  Mary clings to Kido's arm as they walk back in.
  * Kido begins to explain about the Mekakushi-dan, but gets cut off by Shintaro.  After a fun bit of banter about how /of course/ Kano was part of some sketchy gang, Momo walks in asking if she missed anything.
  * Shintaro is shocked to learn that his little sister is also part of a sketchy gang, this generation truly is going to waste.  Momo says she actually only joined the gang today, August 14th .  Cue flashback.
  * We see Momo sneaking out in plain clothes to go have some normal teenage fun.  We learn she's a famous idol, and also a bit of an oddball, although cheery.
  * Momo trips and her identity is revealed to a giant mass of people in a pedestrian square. Fans start swarming her, and Momo runs, pursued by them.
  * An arm pulls Momo into an alleyway, we see it's Kido.  She holds a finger to her lips and motions for Momo to stay still.
  * The crowd is unable to find Momo and slowly disperses, relieving Momo.  She asks who Kido is, and Kido gives her name.  Kido also shyly invites Momo out for lunch.
  * Momo, relieved and grateful, agrees.
  * Cut to Kido and Momo arriving inside a tiny local ramen restaurant, completely empty except for them and the staff.  Kano and Mary wave them over to their table.
  * Kano and Mary introduce themselves.
  * They order.
  * Kano and Kido have an easy chemistry with each other and tease each other lightly.  Kido pointedly DOES NOT beat on Kano.  Because that's weird and creepy.
  * Momo describes herself a little and then asks them what they get up to.
  * Kano and Kido share a look
  * Kido says that she's leader of the Mekakushi Dan and these are it's members.  They're a special organization dedicated to finding and researching those with eye powers, basically superpowers that turn the eye red.
  * Momo laughs and says they're joking, right?  Kido asks how else she thinks Kido got all those fans to ignore them.  As Momo thinks, Kido disappears right in front of her eyes and reappears behind her.  Kido says they want her to join.
  * Momo is pretty convinced now, but asks what this has to do with her.
  * Kano says they were sure that she had an eye power too after seeing one of her TV appearances and wanted to scout her out, but Kido meeting her so early was pure luck.
  * Momo takes out her phone to show them something.  She hands it to Mary so she can see too.
  * Mary has butter fingers and drops it.  Right into her bowl of soup.
  * RIP iPhone.  You served Momo loyally.
  * As an apology, they offer to take Momo to the new mall to buy her a new one.  Momo refuses at first but they insist.
  * At the mall, things appear to going find asides from Kido smacking right into a stranger, until the doors start locking and terrorists take over.
  * The Mekakushi Dan are the only people not rounded up, thanks to Kido's cloaking ability.
  * Kido seems to sober up and starts issuing orders with seemingly uncharacteristic confidence. (More on this later.)
  * Kido sends Kano to go scout the core of the building where all the hostages.  They share a meaningful look.
  * Kano sends a selfie of him and Shintaro.  Momo says that hey, that's my big brother!  This provides brief comedic relief.
  * They begin sneaking around to shut off the lights and work eye power magic.
  * Ninja shit.
  * Mary walks out and paralyzes the crowd
  * Shintaro does his thing
  * The hostage situation is over.  They take the now unconscious Shintaro home with him for a rest.
  * Cut back to the present day.  Shintaro asks if all that eye power stuff is really true, and is easily convinced because being an adult is already so goddamn weird it may as well happen
  * Shintaro asks if Momo got a new phone despite all that.
  * Momo makes a surprised meeping noise.
  * Cue end of episode.
  * Episode 3 (Otsukimi Recital)
  * The Kisaragis go home after their long day and have a good night's sleep
  * The next morning, Ene shows Shintaro a text from the Dan inviting them to an amusement park for the day
  * Amusement park shenanigans
  * On a park bench, Kano and Momo have a light, pleasant conversation about the park and Momo tells a funny story about her extended academic failings.  (She once only passed because she drew a cartoon on Napoleon on the last page and got extra points!)  Kano seems pleased, although he grimaces slightly when Shintaro is mentioned.  Kano teaches her a cool pen twirling trick as payment for a sweet story
  * Afterwards as they walk through the exterior normal park, they see a giant crowd and an ambulance fussing over something
  * Episode end
  * Episode 4 (Kagerou Days)
  * We're introduced to Hiyori, Hibiya, and Konoha.
  * They go about their day.  It's made clear that there's a very onesided rivalry between Hibiya and Hiyori
  * At several points in the day Hibiya experiences deja vu/a vague feeling of dread
  * After some light antics Hiyori and Hibiya sit on playground swings while Konoha goes to retrieve ice creams for the 3 of them.
  * Hiyori befriends a stray cat who sits in her lap on the swing.
  * It jumps off and starts running away.  Hiyori chases after it, right into traffic.
  * Both Hibiya and Konoha (from across the street) rush for her, but she's badly crushed. There's blood everywhere, even in Hibiya's hair.  
  * Just as the ambulance starts to come into hearing range Hibiya startles up in bed.  He can hear a loud thump somewhere else in the house.
  * Hibiya decides it was just a weird dream and chooses to ignore it, even though Konoha seems uncharacteristically startled too.
  * They go about their day in mostly the same way, except with less enthusiasm
  * Konoha only agrees to go get ice cream with a lot of prompting from Hiyori
  * Hibiya catches Hiyori before she runs into the road, but I beams fall from a nearby construction project and skewer Hiyori before their eyes.  Hibiya swears to himself to keep this from happening, no matter how many tries it takes
  * Hibiya wakes again, but it's evident that some time has passed.  He has tired, unchildlike eyes and just sighs with frustration when he gets up rather than being upset by what he saw. He gets dressed, scarfles down breakfast, and puts on his shoes with the bored precision of someone who's done this a few hundred times.  Konoha looks similarly weary, albeit with a better poker face.
  * While Hiyori is trying things on, Hibiya says something to Konoha.  He knows Konoha remembers the loops too, and even if they have differences, they both care about Hiyori and need to form a team if they're ever going to break the cycle.
  * Konoha refuses to budge when Hiyori bugs him for snacks.
  * After the cat flees Konoha stops her from running into the road and rolls with Hiyori out of the falling I-beams.  He gets off, dusts himself off a little, and Hibiya takes her hand instead. They start walking fast away from the park.  Hiyori asks if they're going home and what's going on.  Hibiya says no, home is too dangerous.
  * After they walk a few more blocks to no apparent danger, Hiyori digs her heel in to ask what's got them so spooked.  There's the sound of screeching tires, and Hibiya watches like a deer in headlights as a large van spins out of control and jumps the curb right into the three of them.
  * Hibiya wakes up again.  He looks exhausted beyond words and in deep despair.  Over breakfast, he says to Konoha that he has a plan that might stop the loops once and for all, and it might not be the end of the line, but if it does, this is the last time they'll meet. Konoha asks with concern what he's going to do, but Hibiya just smiles at him sadly before Hiyori walks in.
  * Later that day, while they sit in the park, things seem almost serene.  Hibiya closes his eyes and enjoys the sound of the trees.
  * Hiyori gasps and chases after the cat.  Hibiya chases after her but makes no attempt to catch her.  At the last second, Hibiya jumps out into the way of the truck.
  * He smiles wide and says “serves you right” with a hint of satisfaction.
  * Konoha races over to their bodies as people start to crowd, worried but waiting for the loop to reset.  It doesn't come, and tears flow down his face despite himself.
  * The Mekakushi Dan push their way through the crowd and look upon the scene with undisguised horror.
  * Cue the end of the episode.
  * Episode 5 (Konoha's State of the World)
  * We open on Shintaro sitting alone in the visitor's chair in a hospital room, reading.  There's a shot of Konoha as he sleeps seemingly serene in the hospital bed.
  * Konoha wakes and sits straight up in bed, startling Shintaro.
  * He asks where he is.  Shintaro says that he was in shock after the accident, so the first responders took him back to the hospital to make sure he was alright
  * Konoha asks what happened to the children he was with.  Shintaro makes a face.
  * They were both not breathing, but somehow disappeared in the ambulance on the way there
  * Konoha starts crying, out of both grief and relief from the timeloop.
  * Shintaro comforts him and then asks if he saw who was driving the truck.  It was empty when the police came to investigate and it's officially being treated as a hit and run.
  * Konoha didn't, but he did see a dangerous looking figure lurking around during the incident. Maybe he's the one responsible for all of this
  * More out of pity than reason, Shintaro agrees to come with him.
  * Meanwhile, back at the barn, Kido, Kano, Mary, Momo, and Ene pay a visit to Ayano's grave. There's exposition about who she and Kido and Kano are, along with unanswered questions about the events leading up to her suicide.  Ene looks concerned about something
  * When they get the call from Shintaro that Konoha's awake, they all make to leave, except Kano, who says he's going to stay.  Ene says she'll mail herself to them as soon as they need her.
  * Kano begins guilting her about forgetting Haruka (who we don't know yet) the same way Shintaro forgot about Ayano.
  * After that, Kano leaves the phone and runs laughing like a child who just played a nasty prank.  His laughter becomes hysterical as he slumps against the wall of a building and it's obvious he's holding back tears.
  * He says something along the lines of “I'm so fucked up.”
  * End of the episode
  * Episode 6 (Yuukei Yesterday)
  * We meet Takane, Haruka, and Kenjirou.
  * They're planning for the school festival as per usual
  * We see Haruka design Konoha and Actor for the video game
  * There's a brief aside where Haruka mentions that Mr Kenjirou keeps showing him pictures of his kids (we see Kenjirou holding up a picture of him and a younger Ayano, Kido, and Kano)
  * Kido and Kano show up to play the games (Takane: Are these Mr Tateyama's kids?) and we get another cool demonstration of Kido's ability.
  * Shintaro and Ayano turn up to play games, Shintaro is a prick, Shintaro wins.
  * Usual merrymaking
  * Haruka has his heart attack.
  * Ayano, showing an as before-unseen serious side, tells Takane to confess to Haruka before she regrets it.
  * Takane runs to go see Haruka, goes numb and falls, we see Kenjirou's red eyes.
  * There's a scene of Takane being unmade into Ene, and from the screen in the laboratory, she can see Konoha in a tank.  Ene realizes that that's Haruka
  * We see Haruka awake in the Daze, despairing about his dying body.  He hears a mysterious voice telling him that his body will be reborn but his mind rejects it.  Haruka disappears as Konoha is born.  Haruka screams.
  * End of episode
  * Episode 7
  * The gang are doing a quick sweep of the city to look for Konoha's mysterious figure.
  * Ene is back with Shintaro, but doesn't seem to be paying attention.  When Konoha comes into view of the camera, she looks shocked, and then guilty.
  * Kido asks if Konoha knows anything else about the situation of the accident, or if he's experienced any strange new phenomenon since they were hit by the truck.  Konoha tells her about the decades long time loop that he experienced, and how he teamed up with Hibiya.  He says he's worried that they're still stuck there now.
  * Kano catches up with the others.  Ene shoots him a dirty look, but says nothing.
  * Ene asks if she could talk to Konoha alone.  Shintaro seems surprised but hands the phone to Konoha, along with the warning that he'll break it if he squeezes it too hard.
  * Konoha obviously doesn't know who Ene is.  He introduces himself as Konoha.
  * Ene asks Konoha where he's from.
  * Konoha says he was born in this city two years ago in a lab.
  * Ene looks a little confused and asks if he ever wonders where he was before that, since he's obviously more than 2 years old.
  * This has obviously never occurred to Konoha, but it seems to bug him now that the question has been raised.
  * Kido says that so far walking around aimlessly has been fruitless, but she has a plan.  Her mother did research on the red eyes phenomenon, and her papers may have some clues to who that man was since Konoha was obviously involved in a supernatural phenomenon.  But first, Ene, Shintaro, and Kano should go back and scope out the park one last time, since they say the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime.
  * They split up.
  * We cut to Kido, Mary, Konoha, and Momo sifting through papers in a back room of a large house.  There's papers stacked on nearly every inch of the floor.
  * Momo: “Your mother kept really thorough records, huh...”
  * An old photograph falls out of one of the stapled together papers.  On it is child versions of Kido and Kano in a group shot of children standing together.  Kano is holding the hand of a smaller boy with dark hair and dark brown eyes.
  * Kido says that Kano and her were adopted from an orphanage by their mother and father when they were very young.
  * Mary remarks that she's never seen pictures of Kido and Kano from all the way back then.
  * Momo asks how Kido and Mary met.
  * End of episode.
  * Episode 8
  * We open on Mary, Kido, Momo, and Konoha sorting through stacks of papers.
  * Mary tells the story of how she used to live alone in the woods until Kido stumbled upon her cottage and brought her to the modern world.  Kido adds fondly that Mary taught her courage on that day.
  * Konoha, looking serious, hands Momo a piece of paper and asks if this is what they're looking for.
  * Momo says she hates to interrupt, but she thinks they've found something.
  * The paper is read out loud.  It's a log about “test subjects”, Haruka and Takane.  With their success, it won't be long before the snakes can be gathered in one person and a true medusa created.  
  * Momo says that Takane and Haruka were her big brother's friends who both died on the same day two years ago today.
  * Konoha thinks back to what Ene asked him earlier and wonders if that's what she meant.
  * We cut to Kano and Shintaro wandering around the park where the accident occurred. There's no sign of anything unusual happening.
  * Kano reaffirms that they've seen exactly zilch, then asks Shintaro if he's forgetting something on this very important day.  Like Big Sister.
  * Shintaro asks what big sister.
  * Kano shouts Ayano's name at him.
  * He realizes that Ayano is their older sibling.
  * After that, Shintaro has a borderline out of body experience.  His insides are wavering and nauseous like he's about to have a panic attack, but then a mysterious wave of calm floods over him.  His eyes flicker red.
  * Shintaro says he understands Kano.  He's just like a child repeating things their parents say because they don't know any better.
  * Kano yells at him to shut up.
  * Hurting others doesn't make him any happier, does it?  If he continues on like this he'll end up cold and alone, Shintaro continues.  He doesn't have to do this, you know.
  * Kano asks him who the hell he thinks he is.
  * Shintaro says that he can help turn things around.  Just consider it.
  * He walks away, back towards home.
  * Episode 9 (Dead and Seek)
  * The rest of the Dan are assembled in the living room when Ene checks in with them.
  * They all seem to see through Ene's cheerful act now.  Kido says it's very important that she tells them what happened two years ago with Takane.
  * Ene tells them about what happened, mentioning it was Kenjirou who poisoned her.  Kido looks upset.
  * -There's a short scene of Kano alone in the dark with his phone. He looks very conflicted, staring at the message he's typed out.  There's a shot of who's the receiver. It's Shintaro.  Kano sighs and presses the send button.
  * -Shintaro writhes in bed with pain and what seems to be a fever.  His eyes flicker red off and on until his phone buzzes and they stay brown.
  * -Kano has texted him an address along with the text "I've been thinking. I found our mystery man.  Come here alone."
  * Shintaro puts on his jacket and walks out the door.
  * When he arrives at the address, Kano waves him over from across the street, along with an “act casual” gesture.  He tells Shintaro he still hasn't forgiven him, but he was right about needing to do something.
  * Kano half drags him into an alley, from which you can see a back street.
  * Standing in the back street is Kenjirou Tateyama, eyes red and some man in a red shirt.  The man hands him a long, oblong box.
  * They have a conversation about what's in the box (a gun) and whether it's capable of killing 7 or 8 people in a short span of time. Eventually Kenjirou shoves the box into a larger, less suspicious bag and walks away.
  * Kano and Shintaro follow him to a large laboratory several blocks away.  In the lobby a young man with black hair and dark brown eyes hands him a stack of papers as he walks into an inner hallway and away from view.
  * Shintaro asks what the hell that was.
  * Kano says that's the Clearing Eyes Snake, Konoha's mystery man, and the culprit of all these incidents.
  * More importantly, Shintaro says, how does he know about all this?
  * Kano sighs and says it's a long story, but Shintaro insists on knowing.
  * Episode 10 (Yobanashi Deceive)
  * We see Ayano arrive home.  She knocks on her father's study's door but it's empty.  She walks on in.
  * Ayano finds work left on her dad's desk that suggests he's going to kill Kido, Kano, Takane, and Haruka to unite the snakes and save her mom.
  * We learn that Kano often attended school in Ayano's place so she could work on saving them.
  * Ayano tells Kano that maybe if they just talk to the other version of their father, they can work out a way to bring back their mom without hurting anyone.
  * Cue August 15th.
  * Ayano argues with the other Kenjirou (the Clearing Eyes Snake).  Eventually, she says he can't proceed if she takes one of the snakes and doesn't come home from the Never Ending World.
  * She dives off the school roof to the pavement below and hits with a sickening noise like cracking eggs.
  * Kano screams for his sister.
  * The Clearing Eyes Snake tells him now that he's seen that, he can't let Kano go free.  He makes Kano pretend to be his sister's corpse to fool the police.
  * Forward to about a year afterwards.  Kano is essentially enslaved to the Clearing Eyes Snake, doing whatever horrible things he commands, and keeps it from his sister because of orders by the Snake.
  * Kano says that's how he was living until now, just waiting for death at the hands of the Snake so he could turn back time.  But now he's realized that he has things worth protecting in this life.
  * Kano tells him they should go home and warn the others now.
  * End of the episode.
  * Episode 11
  * Shintaro and Kano arrive back at the Mekakushi Dan hideout.
  * Shintaro says they need to know something, and Kido replies that it's the same on their side.
  * Kido says that they've discovered papers that imply that Kenjirou Tateyama killed Takane and Haruka two years ago.
  * Shintaro agrees and says he and Kano saw him buy weapons and they're sure he's trying to do the same thing now, but he might have an idea of what to do.
  * Kido narrows her eyes and asks Shintaro what his plan is.
  * Shintaro takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and then reopens them.  His eyes are red.  He says Kano helped him remember the eye power that he had shoved deep down inside himself since childhood.  This isn't the first or tenth time that they've faced being killed by the Clearing Eyes Snake dwelling inside Kenjirou Tateyama.
  * Mary pipes up, like a time loop?  Exactly a timeloop.
  * Shintaro says that this all centers around Mary's eye ability.  By killing them, he'll free their snakes to return to Mary, who holds the queen snake.  But if they amplify Mary's power, maybe they can use that fact against the Clearing Eyes Snake.
  * Kido tells him to elaborate.
  * Shintaro continues that today is the day when Mary's powers are the strongest, and with some practice she should be able to open a portal to the Never Ending World, where Konoha and the two others had spent their time looping.  There, her powers will be at their strongest without absorbing the other snakes, allowing her to reach in, grab the Snake and pull it out of Kenjirou Tateyama's body, and seal it in the Never Ending World.  Their mission is to make sure Mary has enough time to do it and everyone else is safe.
  * Mary asks how she can open a portal, she doesn't know how.
  * Shintaro assures her that since her snake powers his, he thinks that he can instruct her how.
  * Kido says that it's the best plan they have to keep from being exterminated, so even if she doesn't like how risky it is, they have no other choices.
  * Cut to a side room in the Mekakushi Dan hideout where Mary is practicing opening the portal.  Shintaro instructs her to breathe evenly and try to match herself to her snake dwelling inside her.  After a few tries she makes the portal flicker into existence then disappear.
  * Mary takes a deep breath and successfully opens the portal. Shintaro seems cheered and complements her on her fast work.
  * Shintaro makes to walk through the portal.  Mary asks where he's going.
  * Shintaro says he's going to find reinforcements, and to reopen the portal in exactly 45 minutes.
  * He jumps through into the Never Ending World.
  * We see Shintaro walking through the hallways of Ayano's portion of the never ending world.  He then opens one of the sliding doors to a classroom full of shifting desks.
  * Ayano is seated at one of the desks. Shintaro calls to her.
  * Shintaro asks for Ayano's help one last time.
  * Ayano looks surprised, but nods yes and says of course.
  * Back in the real world, the Dan are gathered around the living room. The atmosphere is tense.  Mary watches the clock.
  * When the clock strikes 10:45, Mary stands up, and with only mild strain, reopens the portal.
  * Shintaro walks back through.  The others ask what he was doing.  He says that, like he said before, he was gathering reinforcements.
  * Episode 12 (Mekakushi Code)
  * It's time.  The assorted Mekakushi-dan have gathered in the same park as earlier, but the sun has gone down now.
  * They share anxious looks between each other.  Nobody is sure whether this is going to work.
  * They hear foot steps from behind them.  The Clearing Eyes Snake stands there.
  * Before the others can react, Konoha demands that the Clearing Eyes Snake give Hibiya and Hiyori back. The Clear Eyes Snake says that they're both already dead, didn't he see it with his own eyes.
  * Konoha holds his face in his hands, there's no way that's true.
  * The Clearing Eyes Snake pulls a gun on him.
  * Shintaro screams for him to look out.
  * Konoha is shot twice in the skull, cleanly, and falls to the ground.
  * The Clearing Eyes Snake grabs him and begins to take over his body.
  * Shintaro feels nauseous with memories of previous loops.  In the background, scenes of former loops play.  He snaps out of it and yells for Mary to open the portal.
  * Mary nods and the portal snaps open.  She jumps through and the remaining Dan follows.
  * It's mid afternoon in the Never Ending World and heat haze shimmers on the road next to the park.
  * Mary shouts for the others to run, which they do.  
  * Kuroha steps through the portal.  He staggers a little bit and his joints seem too loose.  It looks like he's too big for the husk he's in.
  * He asks if they're ready to give up their pitiful human lives to empower the queen.
  * End of the episode.
  * Episode 13 (Outer Science)
  * Shintaro sprints off towards the school building, past a surreal not-quite-real environment. He's obviously afraid.
  * Ayano waits for him in the front room of the school building.
  * Shintaro takes her by the hand and rushes back towards where he came from without a word.
  * Back around the park, the other Dan members hide from him.  We see Kano hidden in a back alley behind a fence, with his knees up to his chest.  There are footsteps.
  * Kuroha tells him to come on out, he's only scaring himself by prolonging the inevitable.
  * Just before he goes around the corner, someone calls to the Clearing Eyes Snake from behind him.  It's Shintaro and Ayano.  Kuroha's face lights up in a psychotic triumphant grin.
  * He aims at Ayano and fires.  Instead of getting hit, she shimmers like a mirage.  You can't kill someone who's already dead.
  * Kuroha curses.  Shintaro starts to run in the opposite direction, still being alive.  They arrive back in the park where Hiyori and Hibiya died, and Kuroha holds a gun on Shintaro.  Shintaro puts his hands up.
  * He asks Shintaro if he has any last words before the reset.  Shintaro smiles smugly at him. Kuroha is halfway through asking him what's so damn funny when Mary appears behind him in the corner of his eye.
  * Mary reaches inside his back and pulls.  He groans in pain.
  * Mary pulls a large snake from inside him and holds it at arm's length.  The Clearing Eyes Snake looks much smaller when not inside a host.
  * Konoha crumbles to the ground.
  * Shintaro remarks that it looks so much less impressive.
  * Mary's eyes fill up with happy tears because everyone is safe.
  * End of the episode.
  * Episode 14 (Summertime Memory)
  * We see everyone standing together in the park.
  * Kido and Mary hug excitedly.  Kano, in a great mood, slaps Mary on the back for a job well done and says Shintaro didn't do so badly either.
  * Mary reopens the portal and most of the Mekakushi-dan, tired but glad to be alive, travel back through it.
  * Konoha walks up to Shintaro and asks if the Clearing Eyes Snake was right about Hibiya and Hiyori being dead.  Shintaro says yes, but they're both at rest now and not in the time loop anymore.  It's bittersweet to Konoha.
  * Konoha jumps through the portal.
  * Mary turns to go back to the real world but tells Shintaro she'll leave the portal open until he gets back, because she suspects he'll want to say goodbye to someone.  Shintaro thanks her.
  * We cut to Shintaro walking through the halls of the Never Ending World's school building once again.
  * He opens the sliding door to see Ayano.
  * Shintaro thanks her for helping defeat the Clearing Eyes Snake.
  * Shintaro says that Ayano spent all this time helping him and dragging him from the darkness, he owes her a debt he can never repay.
  * -Ayano replies that because of what Shintaro did, her sacrifice on that day has meaning.  He saved her siblings' futures.  He's a real hero to Ayano.
  * Haruka knocks on the open classroom door, walks in, and shuts the door behind him.
  * He thanks Shintaro for finally freeing him, and tells him to say hello to Konoha for Haruka.  Really, after spending so much time watching over Konoha, it's a little lonely leaving him behind, so they'll have to take good care of him.
  * -Ayano asks "Shall we go?" and Haruka nods.  They open the classroom door and walk off to an unclear place.  Haruka waves on the way out.  They disappear into the distance.
  * We cut to a park.  Shintaro sits on a bench waiting.  He's wearing a red scarf.
  * Someone calls Shintaro.  He turns around to see the Mekakushi-Dan in casual clothes.
  * Shintaro says it took them long enough.  (Ene replies that he was the one who was so nervous about being late he arrived an hour early.)
  * Kido asks if they're already to go, they all say yes.
  * While they walk on the sidewalk, Shintaro beckons Konoha over.  He tells Konoha that Haruka says hello.  Konoha looks down with a warm but sad expression.
  * In voice over, Shintaro says "In such a short amount of time, so much has changed I can't express it in words.  I'll never forget you, but goodbye, Ayano.  Hello to the first day of the rest of the summer."
  * The end credits play.




End file.
